Fracking bans

A number of environmental issues have been linked directly to fracking. It has been blamed for air pollution, groundwater contamination, health problems and surface water pollution as well as presenting a risk of sinkholes as man-made earthquakes. Huge amounts of water are used in fracking and must be transported to the site at significant environmental cost and an increased number of droughts in and around areas in which fracking has taken place have been observed. 

France was the first country in the world to ban hydraulic fracturing for the exploration and exploitation of shale gas and oil in July 2011. Learn more.